The Star Wars franchise returned to theaters in a big way with The Force Awakens, as J.J. Abrams introduced a slew of new characters to interact with franchise favorites like Leia and Han. Chief among them was Adam Driver's Kylo Ren, who has taken on the role of this trilogy's tragic villain. Kylo is unbalanced with an extremely short fuse, which is often shown as he has mini-temper tantrums aboard his ships.
In fact, his opening tantrum from The Last Jedi saw Kylo Ren destroying his iconic mask from the first film. But although he massacred it in an elevator and left the mask in pieces, it now appears like Ben Solo will be getting some new digs in Episode IX. Specifically, he should be wearing a cracked and repaired version of the iconic Kylo mask in the threequel.
This report comes to us from Making Star Wars, and hasn't been confirmed by anyone involved in the highly anticipated blockbuster. Still, it makes sense, especially with J.J. Abrams returning to the director's chair, and concluding the story he began in The Force Awakens.
Rian Johnson purposefully subverted fan expectations in The Last Jedi, throwing moviegoers for a loop with plot twists and changes to iconic characters like Luke and Leia. Kylo Ren destroyed his heavily merchandised mask, leaving Adam Driver's face exposed for the remainder of his performance. Having a repaired version appear in Episode IX give the mask a three-film arc, and serve as a metaphor for the conflicted villain.
Narratively, the report about Kylo Ren's mask would also fit into Ben Solo's ever-changing character. His rage-filled destruction of his mask was largely due to Andy Serkis' Supreme Leader Snoke. Snoke admonished Kylo in order to keep him subservient, and his apprentice's mask was openly mocked by Snoke during The Last Jedi's opening moments. Of course, we all saw how Snoke turned out.
Snoke's abuse of Kylo Ren backfired, when Adam Driver's character unceremoniously killed the mysterious figure off aboard his ship. And after dispatching of his guard alongside Rey (and bitch slapping General Hux), Kylo took over as Supreme Leader of the First Order. This gives him the freedom to rock the mask again, especially as he tries to cement himself as the head honcho of the evil organization.
Kylo Ren has been one of the most fascinating aspects of the current trilogy, as he's almost the polar opposite to his idol Darth Vader. His volatility is fascinating, especially as it relates to the raw power of his Force abilities. Rey also sees the conflicted side of Ben Solo, and Episode IX will finally reveal whether or not he could be rehabilitated.
Unfortunately, we'll have to wait a year until any answers arrive. J.J. Abrams' Episode IX will hit theaters on December 20th,, 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
